News broke yesterday that country music star Trace Adkins entered alcohol rehab after a reported altercation with an impersonator on the Country Cruising cruise. According to reports, Adkins was 12-years sober.

Glenn has been open about his own struggles with alcoholism, and TheBlaze’s Laurie Dhue is seven years sober and very active in the recovery community. She offered her unique perspective on the issue on Thursday’s Wilkow!

“Relapse is not a failure. It’s a reset,” Laurie explained. “Relapse is often a part of recovery… He had a slip. Doesn’t mean he’s a failure. Doesn’t mean he’s a bad guy. It means he’s human. Addicts aren’t ‘bad’ people trying to get ‘good’… He is a sick person who is now trying to get well again.”

My Father was a alcoholic for years. Never a social drinker, just drank all weekend and after work each day. Finally when he was diagnosed with diabetes he quit cold turkey. It was far easier then when he got emphysema and could never really stop smoking. It eventually killed him. I think many times relapses after such a long period result from a gradual or sudden negative period in their life. Depression, marriage issues, career issues. Something most likely triggered a relapse.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8FvmesaxXg Sam Fisher

I don’t see the point in drinking. It taste bad makes you feel like giving up on the world and gives you a massive headache in the morning. The first time I tried it was the last time I would ever drink.

chefz774

As a four year +, recovering alcoholic I wish Trace all the strength and support he needs going back into rehab. If you are not an alcoholic or have never lived with or cared about one, you will NEVER know what it feels like, living day to day with an unexploded bomb inside you. It may be well buried and protected and may not go off for years. But the danger is still there, waiting patiently for that one spark that will set it off. In AA we have a way of describing alcohol: Cunning, Baffling, Powerful, and most of us add the word PATIENT. Alcohol doesn’t care how long you’ve been sober, all it takes is one little slip, and you’re off to the races. If you don’t drink, or drink normally, good for you, some of us can’t, so please don’t tell us it’s a matter of will power, or strength of character, or because God hates us. It’s because our body doesn’t process alcohol the way yours does, so if/when we slip, don’t condemn us or say we were weak, we just let our defenses down one time when we shouldn’t have, and now we need help. How many of you can ever say that never happened to you, where you made a simple mistake, you wish you hadn’t, and needed help to deal with it? Godspeed Trace.

Dana Faulkner

Coming up four years sober , could not have said it better myself .

Steve

I am a recovering alcoholic, 22 yrs. sober! Alcoholism as far as I’m concerned is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. As an alcoholic I do my best to ward off my disease one day at a time. I’ve seen and heard of fellow alcoholics with as many yrs. sober and more as I have who have relapsed. I rely on my higher power, whom I choose to be God, every day of my life today. Don’t condemn a person for being human and making a mistake. Look in the mirror instead and tell yourself. If not for the grace of God, there go I. Hang in there Trace, you can do this.

Wise words …

Arguably, the regard for responsibility that thrives where people embrace liberty has fallen low enough to undermine the very freedom upon which our prosperity and civilization rest.